Ware Two..

So as a lot of you that store at Ware now know, we’ve moved units. We’re still on the same premises, but our own unit has finally finished being constructed. It’s been a long road - so thanks to those of you that have grown with us - but we’re now there. With much better lighting, significantly more space and tailored exactly to our requirements - we’re now in.

Those that have seen it have been impressed with the overall layout and the smoothness of the transition across. I’m not going to lie, it was a stressful move dodging summer showers, and the occasional combine harvester but it has been 100% worth the effort. It already seems an age ago to be honest.

If you do store your car with us at Ware, and have not had the opportunity to visit yet, this new unit comes with all the benefits of the original space (security systems, secluded location, self service option). If you’d like to get in touch to come and see for yourself, please do either via WhatsApp or the button below.

We're in Standon

You know when you get offered something that looks too good to be true, well that happened to us over the summer. We were offered the opportunity to take on another site. Whilst we weren’t particularly looking for a unit in Standon we took one look at the site, and the unit itself and just couldn’t say no.

It’s located about 5 mins away from our Ware site, and I say this next part cautiously - it’s our biggest one yet (don’t worry we’re not getting too big for our boots – only by a few metres). At the end of a beautiful tree lined driveway it is again in a secluded location. Located within very easy reach of the A10 and the A120. It was a bit of a speculative move initially helping us support a few Bishops Stortford owners but steadily the cars are coming in.

Over the summer evenings we’ve been there painting the place and getting it up our spec. We’ve got our ‘lounge’ here so that we can host people and have a place to relax and enjoy the surroundings. I have just moved my M5 in there and a Lotus Carlton also currently calls it home - 2 of my favourite cars!

We are looking to have an owners opening event for Standon - so keep an eye on the newsletter for further info.

Does Standon suit you better, or would you just like to come for a coffee? Get in touch, we’ll happily give you the tour.

It's not on the driveway

So a very strange thing happened to me on the first of the month. I got up, went through my morning routine, went to leave the house, as I turned the corner and looked onto my drive way my M5 wasn’t there. Don’t panic, she’d not been stolen – she was now in storage at our Buntingford site. But it was a rather strange feeling to say the least, she’d been there the past 10 years but now she’s not on the driveway.

I got the car in August 2011. I’d always loved the E39 BMW and the M5 was always a bit of a dream car for me. Not entirely out of my reach, but certainly beyond my finances when it was launched. Instead I lived out my ownership dreams through PlayStation games like Gran Turismo, or Need For Speed. Fast forward to August 2011 and I didn’t need a car to use everyday, so I thought to myself what car do I actually really want….there was only one that came to mind, the E39 M5.

Over the next 10 years it has been an absolute joy to own, not without its frustrations but hey what relationship runs totally smoothly? On the whole she’s been the most reliable car I think I’ve ever owned (frantically looks around for some wood to knock on). She has been my wedding car, been on some fantastic holidays, and bought both my sons home from hospital after they were born. She’s as much a part of the family as I am!

So, this brings me to the point of this piece, she’s now not on the driveway anymore. She is safely stored away from careless neighbours, wayward footballs, and prying eyes. I’d had a few knocks at the door regarding the car, some at a particularly unsociable hours – I didn’t like the attention she seems to encourage, that’s not why I have that car. Storing her at Buntingford is 100% the right decision to make, I still see her most days. However, she’s not on the driveway. 

It’s a strange feeling; having met a few of you now, and seen how some of you are when you walk away having dropped them back. It’s sometimes like watching a parent leave their child at nursery for the first time. You know they’re safe, you trust the people looking after them, but you can’t see them 24/7. Rest assured, they are safe, we love looking after them, and we completely understand the relationship we owners have with these inanimate metal boxes.

Baddest Beetle?

We’re trying to raise your blood pressure again this month, we’ve got another electrified classic for you. This time It’s a beetle that’s had the Tesla treatment. Whatever your opinion on this current trend is, you can’t help but notice the quality of the fit and finish on this particular project. You could make the argument that it’s to an OE finish. The video is as much about how they’ve made the car, as it is about how it goes. If you’re not interested in the talking and just want to see it wooosh, skip to 9:30ish.

What's For Sale?

We all like a thumb through the classifieds of a Sunday morning. Here’s some nice things we’ve seen coming up for sale soon.

2013 Mercedes AMG Wagon - One of the GQ family has decided that it is time for pastures new and wants to sell his AMG Wagon. She’s just had a GQ enhancement detail, and has full Mercedes service history. Please do get in touch if you'd like to find out more.

1968 Dodge Charger R/T - Be still my beating heart, There would definitely be one of these in my dream garage. 440ci V8 monster from the late 60s – in fact; scrap that, this car would be in my dream garage – What a beaut!

2021 Toyota GR Yaris - Delivery miles on this Toyota Yaris GR. Future classic? We can’t predict, but if you want to roll the dice on an investement car, this might not be a bad place to try.

1991 BMW E30 325i - A nicely presented, higher miles car. The modifications are subtle and reversible if not to your taste, with current keeper for the past 5 years. Another of those cars that people look back on with very fond memories. Here’s your chance!

1999 Honda Accord Super Tourer – Now for something a bit different; a genuine BTCC “Super Tourer” car. Driven by Peter Kox in the 1999 BTCC. Raced recently in the historic touring car championship. Anyone want to lend me £100K?

Need a hand selling your car, drop us a line to see if we can help.

A positive from COVID??

It’s very rare that we buy into these cars as investments, we buy what we buy because we like them, or they trigger a memory for us from the past. Well that’s certainly true in my case. Predicting what cars will rise in value is like picking the right horse in the grand national – it’s doable but it’s not an exact science.

Well the coronavirus pandemic (sorry I try not to bring it up unless absolutely essential) seems to have been a blessing to the classic car market. Hexagon classics are reporting an “unprecedent demand for good quality classic cars” over the past 12 months, and prices at the recent Silverstone Auctions sale at Stoneleigh Park would simply echo that. 

As I said at the beginning; not many of us simply buy a car to make money on. We like to know our money is in a sensible place and if it goes up, then so be it. But from the insurance side of things, if you do have an agreed value on your car, it might well be in your interest to take another look at it, and make sure it is a fair reflection of current market values.

Latest arrivals - June

A very warm welcome to our latest members and their toys. Here’s what come through the doors this month

We're quite proud of this one

When the owner of this Jaguar XE asked us about detailing his car to remove the swirls, we naturally said “yes” and welcomed her in with open arms. We then saw the swirls, our jaws hit the floor. We can confidently say that it is probably one of the most in need of attention that we have had in the bay and it was going to be no small task to put it right. The owner is a lifelong Jag fan, and his son is now naturally following suit. I really like this era of Jag design - along with the XJ, and the F type the design team really were firing on all cylinders when they put pen to paper on these.

The story goes that the owner had bought it from a car supermarket and had asked them to machine polish the car prior to him taking delivery of it. I think what they heard was “can you rub a kitchen scourer over my car please”. The non metallic black paint is infamously soft, so caution is required when you wash them. This had not even heard the word “caution” before and wore the swirls as a consequence.

We decontaminated the car, machine polished it, then added a ceramic top coat to try and give the black a bit of a chance to repel things in future. The results are amazing, and it really goes to show what can be achieved with a keen eye, a bit of care, and some of time.

Take a look for yourself.